Minnesota United will put a four-game unbeaten streak on the line when it hosts the Portland Timbers on Saturday night in Saint Paul, Minn.
Minnesota (6-2-3, 21 points) enters the weekend in second place in the Western Conference, four points behind Real Salt Lake, which has played two more matches than the Loons.
Minnesota kept its unbeaten streak alive with a 2-2 draw with the visiting Los Angeles Galaxy on Wednesday night. The run began with a 3-0 win at Charlotte FC and also included 2-1 victories over Sporting Kansas City and Atlanta United.
Midfielder Kervin Arriaga scored on a header off a corner kick by Joseph Rosales in the 80th minute to garner the draw for the Loons, who blew a 1-0 halftime lead by allowing goals to Dejan Joveljic and Diego Fagundez over a seven-minute span midway through the second half.
“The first half was a really good performance, I think the most complete performance we’ve had since I’ve been here,” said Eric Ramsay, who made his Minnesota head coaching debut with a 2-0 win over Los Angeles FC on March 16. “I’m pleased we have not lost the game. I’m pleased we’ve got a point. But the overriding feeling in the dressing room and amongst the staff is frustration.”
It was a completely different feeling in the Timbers dressing room Wednesday after Portland (3-6-4, 13 points) rallied to defeat the San Jose Earthquakes 4-2 and snap a nine-game winless streak.
Portland was booed off the field at halftime after falling behind 2-0 then scored four goals in a 26-minute span of the second half.
Forward Jonathan Rodriguez had a brace after midfielder Evander started the comeback with a score from the penalty spot in the 74th minute after San Jose’s Bruno Wilson picked up a red card. Forward Felipe Mora scored the game-winner on another penalty kick in the 90th minute.
The Timbers won a match for the first time since a 2-1 victory at New York FC on March 9.
“After the first half, going into the locker room we heard some boos,” Evander said, according to oregonlive.com. “I think we all had the same feeling. We need to change this now or we’re going to stay like this forever.”
The win moved the Timbers into 11th place in the West just three points below ninth-place St. Louis City.
–Field Level Media